Forbes: “Because We Believe, We Stand Because We Stand, We Can Make a Difference”

“In God We Trust” Unveiled in Capitol Visitor Center

After more than one year of fighting to restore references to our nation’s spiritual history stripped from the newly-constructed $621-million Capitol Visitor Center, Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) and Members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus today applauded the unveiling of our national motto “In God We Trust” engraved in stone in the Capitol Visitor Center.

The initial design of the Capitol Visitor Center was stripped of all references to America's religious heritage and contained a number of factual inaccuracies, including incorrectly stating that our national motto was “E Pluribus Unum” and inaccurately representing Capitol church services.

In July 2008, after touring the newly constructed Capitol Visitor Center, Congressman Forbes led 108 Members of Congress in signing a letter to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) expressing their concerns with the incomplete historical religious content in the Capitol Visitor Center. In October 2008, the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee agreed to correct the inaccuracy of “E Pluribus Unum,” engrave in stone in the Center “In God We Trust” and the Pledge of Allegiance, and create a permanent religious history display. Congressman Forbes and other Members of the Prayer Caucus worked to ensure those changes were agreed to before legislation was passed directing the opening of the Capitol Visitor Center. H.R. 5159 was signed into law in October, and the Capitol Visitor Center opened in December 2008. H.Con.Res.131 passed the House and Senate in July 2009, directing the AOC to engrave the national motto and Pledge of Allegiance in the Capitol Visitor Center.

The “In God We Trust” engraving was completed and unveiled this week and the Pledge of Allegiance is scheduled to be completed in the coming weeks.

“This was accomplished due to the efforts of so many individuals in Congress and across the country who were willing to stand up on behalf of our nation’s religious heritage. Thousands of visitors will walk through the center each day. The efforts of the individuals that have joined in this issue have enabled those visitors to experience a more accurate depiction of our nation’s heritage written in stone. This success serves as proof that because we believe, we stand, and because we stand, we can make a difference,” said Forbes.

Congressman Forbes is Founder and Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus. For more information on the Congressional Prayer Caucus, click here.